Until Hell Freezes Over
by DawsonMcFly
Summary: She thought that she hated him, that he was a waste of her precious time... But somehow, James Gatz has found his way in to Bethany Porter's heart. This is the story of Jay Gatsby and first and only love.
1. Death

**I read this book in the eighth grade, immediately fell in love and have read it numerous times since then. Then, I found out that Leonardo DiCaprio was playing Jay Gatsby in Baz Luhrmann's upcoming film and that was right when my Titanic obsession started. I straightaway thought, "Hmm... What if Jack Dawson was really Jay Gatsby?" I decided that it was a stupid idea, since he already gets enough of that with Inception. However, he and Kate Winslet were a lovely couple and I decided that Kate would be the perfect first and only love to Gatsby. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the story and R&R!**

When someone is gone, we often forget after a while. Their body is put in to a casket, thrown in a hole underground and forgotten. They're just left there to rot until they are completely, physically gone. Just dust sitting there for all of eternity. This may be hard for you to process but it's the truth. You too are going to die someday. I can assure you. There is no stopping it. You _will_ die.

However, death is better than life. Heaven? I guess you can say that. It isn't as hazy as you would think, beautiful really.

How would I know? Well, I am everywhere. I guess you could say that I _am_ death. As much as I'd love to keep talking about myself, I won't because this isn't my story, I'm just passing on the information to you.

I'm here to tell you a story left untold. In my personal opinion, the most incredible story I have ever been able to tell. You may know this name, you may not, but trust me, you don't know him as well as you think.

Jay Gatsby.

Ring a bell? I would think so. Who doesn't know Jay Gatsby? Strikingly handsome and mysterious Mr. Gatsby? The man with the huge house and elite parties? The man who died for the woman he seemingly loved?

Today, I will be demolishing any conclusions you have made about Gatsby. My job is to expose this man for who he really was. There was only one person, one woman who knew that man.

And no, she is not Daisy Buchanan. She was far too stupid to understand herself.

His real name was James Gatz, born in Minnesota to a penniless family. This is where our story starts off. The girl's name was Bethany Porter, middle class orphan. Unlike Daisy, Bethany was an intellectual, reading a countless amount of books. She was eager and willing to learn unlike all of those girls in that small, Minnesota town. Following the death of her parents when she was just three-years-old, Bethany was adopted by her unwed Aunt Ruth, who raised her to be a real woman, not a lady. Remember, this was 1910, before the feminist act, so no one really understood her approach.

Now, listen carefully, reader because a lot is about to come your way.


	2. The Ice Queen

On one fine summer day, Bethany Porter sat herself down on a park bench, reading a first-edition copy of _Jane Eyre _that belonged her grandmother's and her mother soon after. As she read, she felt herself emerging closer to her mother and dissolving in to Jane's world at the same time. It was a comforting feeling she got whenever she read the novel.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Bethany was abruptly and impolitely removed from the world of _Jane Eyre_. She turned her head to see the person who had destroyed the beautiful moment so effortlessly. The person was a boy around her age, messy blonde hair,' oceanic blue eyes and an endearing smirk plastered on his face.

"Yes?" She replied, lacking interest.

"You see my friend over there?" The boy pointed to his hobbit-like friend, who was slouching sheepishly on the other side of the park. She didn't know the friend but Bethany could tell that he was probably so pitifully insecure and doleful just by the way he was standing.

Bethany nodded in response to the handsome young man, hoping that it was important enough to ruin her precious time with Jane Eyre and her mother.

"He would like to know if you think I'm cute."

Bethany immediately discovered his attempt to flirt with her and scoffed. This is what was so important? She left her mother for this?

"You surely have some nerve," she stated, not insulted but a bit livid.

That had never happened before, but she had assumed that it was something of a rude method to objectify her as this delicate beauty queen, which she wasn't. Whenever Bethany had asked a question about the opposite sex, Aunt Ruth had always replied, "A powerful young woman like yourself needs a man just as much as she needs a corset... They'll only ruin your life right now, you know." Some of Ruth's negativity towards romance may have rubbed off on her just a bit, but Bethany still thought about it a lot, just like any curious teenage girl.

He arched an eyebrow, perplexed as to why she was acting so aloof and superior. "What do you mean 'some nerve'?"

"Forget it." Bethany closed her book, stood up abruptly and looked him straight in the eye, "Goodbye." She began to walk away but he quickly and firmly grabbed her arm before she could. Bethany glowered at the ill-mannered boy and demanded, "Let go of me."

"I promise, I'll do better."

She removed his hand from her arm and let out a sigh, not taking him seriously to the slightest, but still allowing him to entertain himself. Bethany stared at him angrily and spoke, "Try me."

"Oh shit," He rummaged through his pockets I seem to have lost my telephone number... Can I borrow yours?"

Bethany got a laugh out of this pitiful pickup line, answering, "I don't own a telephone."

"Are you lost? Heaven's a long way from here."

"No, I am not lost! I am right where I am supposed to be, furthermore, I am not an angel, sir. You see, angels are the ones that do nothing but good deeds and that is far from me. I am much too self-interested, I must admit. I suppose that makes me the devil, huh?"

"You're too pretty to be the devil, miss."

Bethany nodded mockingly, "Oh, believe me, I am a sinner." She paused but spoke once again, "Are you done now?"

"No," He retorted almost instantly. Sticking out his hand, he smiled and uttered, "I'm James Gatz."

"Bethany Porter."

Bethany shook his hand firmly. There was a long silence that consisted of James staring at her and it made her feel rather uncomfortable.

She glanced around, attempting to find an excuse. "Well, Mr. Gatz, I've better be going. My aunt is expecting me to be home for dinnr any moment."

James inclined his head questionably. "I'm sure," he remarked in a snide tone.

"Well, excuse me," She said quite loud, her eyebrows knitted together. "I don't remember telling _you_ anything about my life."

He knew that she was lying.

"Your aunt eats dinner at three-thirty?"

"That is none of your business!"

James just smiled at her, thinking about how cute she was and how badly he wanted to get to know her, but she was reluctant._ If she could just give me a chance, _he thought. _Who knows? Maybe she'll actually like me. She's so mean and probably so hard to please but I really kind of like that about her. What is wrong with me?_

Bethany stood up straight, her feet planted firmly on the ground. She hugged the book against her chest and marched up to him, "Goodbye, James Gatz."

Within the blink of an eye, Bethany Porter had vanished.

**I hope you enjoyed that chapter. As I was writing, I realized how bitchy and cynical Bethany had come off as... but don't worry, she'll get better and loosen up. Hey and don't forget to R&R!**

**Thanks,**

**Rose Clementine Dawson**


	3. Denial

**Hi there!**

**I know I haven't updated this story since the beginning of the school year, but I just had to resume. **

**Best,**

**DawsonMcFly**

….

Thirty minutes had passed since Bethany left James in the park and he was still on her mind. She kept replaying the whole situation in her mind on repeat, trying to point out reasons for her to dislike James. So far, she couldn't find any, but she had to hate him. Why else would she be excessively thinking about him?

When Bethany arrived at home, the front hall light was off, which worried her for a moment. However, she was soon reassured by the smell of Aunt Ruth's cigarette.

"Aunt Ruth," she called, removing her silvery pea coat. "I'm home!"

She made her way in to the kitchen, where Ruth was of course smoking and enjoying a nice glass of whiskey.

"Hello dear," said Ruth while exhaling a puff of smoke. "How was the park?"

"Fair. Nothing spectacular in particular..."

"Weren't you supposed to meet Mathilda?"

"Yes, and I did. But she couldn't stay long because she had made plans to meet Buford Michelsson."

Ruth rolled her eyes. "Are those two together now?"

"I believe so," Bethany replied with boredom in her tone. "Mathilda's pretty sure they'll get married."

"Oh, that poor child! After she bears a few of his children, she'll finally understand that she made a huge mistake."

A split silence followed but did not last long.

"So tell me, dearest. How many boys have you turned down this month? I'm sure there are plenty."

"Well, I suppose there was just one boy," answered Bethany, gradually sitting herself down next to Ruth. "I'm actually not so sure if I rejected him, really."

Ruth gained sudden interest and leaned in further to hear the scoop. Yes, old Ruth hated romance, but her love for gossip was even stronger.

"Well...? What happened?"

Bethany nervously fiddled around with her fingers. "Today I was in the park alone, and then this boy came up to me and started speaking to me, saying the most absurd things! Oh Aunt Ruth, you wouldn't believe it. He was preposterous, truly and sickeningly preposterous! He surely had some nerve."

"You like this boy," Ruth observed with a finger placed on her tight jaw. "I can tell."

"I _do not_ like him, Ruth. I barely even know him! If I'm feeling anything for him, it's pure hostility!"

"Very well then." Ruth took the last swig of her whiskey and then got herself up to pour some more.

"I can't believe you would assume something like that, Aunt Ruth!"

For a while, Aunt Ruth didn't say anything, making Bethany feel even more foolish. She watched Ruth sit back down and take a few more sips.

"So is this boy handsome?" asked Aunt Ruth in the midst of silence.

Bethany froze and her entire heart abruptly stopped. Although he was a bit too skinny, James was tremendously handsome in the most refreshing way. But she did not like him. Not one bit.

"Very much so, Ruth. I don't believe I have ever met a boy so handsome, _but_ that is not the point!"

"Then, what is the point, Bethany?"

Bethany couldn't think of a clever response so she remained silence.

"Look, hate and love are not very different. They both include passion, don't they? I personally think that you saw something you liked, but are now so afraid to admit that you want it, so you must hide it with forged 'hatred'."

"Oh Ruth, let's not be ridiculous here. You do that all the time with your emotions."

"Well, I'm not a romantic like you."

Bethany forced a disgusted expression. "I am _not_ a romantic!"

"Oh please," retorted Ruth. "You're just like your mother."

Officially out of things to say to Ruth, Bethany abruptly left the kitchen and ran up to her room. Maybe everything Ruth said was true. Maybe the reason why James was on her mind wasn't because she disliked him... maybe she was merely fascinated by him. However, there was only one way to know for sure. She would have to see James again.

….

**Remember to R&R! The reviews really provide inspiration!**


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